I suppose this story will have a bit of Darkward, so if you don't like it, I'm sorry, but it was necessary for the plot. He won't be pure evil, though, because I still have a soft spot for the poor fool.

Trigger Warning: Non-Con (nothing graphic), please read with caution x


The sting of a cut on the tip of her finger. A single drop of blood...

That was all it took for chaos to erupt in Edward's home. All it took was a single drop of blood for Edward to turn on her and stare into her eyes with onyx orbs that hadn't been there before. The fear that settled was impossible to ignore when she recognized the look on his face. The same expression the nomads had looked at her with long ago...A single drop for her to see the truth behind the stoic man named Jasper Hale. The feral growl that followed the anger in his eyes as he lunged forward.

Her heart ached immensely when the boy she loved looked at her with dark, distant eyes before walking away from her. But it hadn't only ached for Edward at that moment. It ached for Jasper as well.

Your fault. All your fault.

Waking with a start, Bella's body jolted upright and barely managed to contain the scream that had built up in her throat before she would alarm her father, who slept soundly just down the hall. Her heart thundered in her chest, matching the storm that roared outside her window. With a sigh, she places her hands over her face and slumps back into the bed.

The pain inside her arm radiated as soon as she moved, and the events of last night all came flooding back to her. It continued in a repetitive loop the next day in school too. And when none of them appeared to be sitting at their usual table during lunch, the guilt started eating at her. If she didn't see the Cullens as soon as school was over and she apologized to Jasper—Bella knew there would be no way to get past it.

She needed to ask Edward why he'd looked at her as if she were a different person, why he looked at her as if she were his prey and not a person.

She was so preoccupied with seeing Jasper and the others that she didn't anticipate spotting Edward's car parked in front of her house when she got home from school. Relief washed over her as she hopped out of the cab of her truck and closed the door behind her, slowing her movements when she noticed Edward appeared more sullen than usual, "Hey...w-what's wrong?" she asked warily when he barely looked up at her nor gently grabbed hold of her hand as he normally does.

"Walk with me?" Edward asked, his voice barely a whisper, and she almost didn't catch it. Her eyes stared at his back as she hesitantly followed him across the yard, heading into the forest. Guilt roars in the back of her mind as anxiety spikes. This was what she wanted...to talk things through. And yet, why does she feel like running away?

Admiring the kind young man who has always looked out for her—who has gone against all odds to be with her—Bella reaches out for Edward's hand and squeezes it, his cold skin making her shiver.

He still didn't look at her, as if she weren't beside him at all, and yet he still puts up with her needs to be close. What has she done for him in return for all he's sacrificed? After all, he had exposed himself to be with her, including his family. What has she done for Edward in all this time?

Nothing. You've done absolutely nothing.

"We're leaving Forks, my family, and I," he states in a monotone voice, his hands in the pockets of his black slacks. Bella's heart stutters, and she takes in a shallow breath.

"What? Why?" She asked, looking into his topaz eyes that seemed endlessly lost in darkness. He steps back before she can reach out for him, and he clenches his jaw. "Okay, well then, I'll go with you."

"No."

There was no room to argue. No way to mistake his direct words.

"You don't want...me?" Bella asked, her voice blank even though her chest started aching again. Thoughts of losing not only Edward but also his family made her fight to stay with him—to make him stay with her. With determination, she steps forward again and clutches his hand in hers, tugging him forward slightly until he looked at her, "Why?! Is it because of last night? Because if it is, I'll talk to Jasper and everyone. I'll apologize." She sounded so desperate and afraid—pathetic.

Edward shrugged her hands away as if in disgust.

Why shouldn't he be disgusted? You're nothing...

"You think I care about you apologizing? Get over yourself, Isabella," The cold tone in which he spoke to her confused Bella. Never in all the time that they've been together had he ever spoken to her that way. Not even when they were trying to evade James. Suddenly Edward stepped closer, anger radiating off his shoulders as he glared, "Did you really think you were that important? You were just a means to an end. Something to pass the time until I grew bored." Bella's heart sank, pressure stung in the back of her eyes, and tears flooded them seconds later.

His words mirrored her own thoughts and what was no longer silly insecurity but the truth.

"B-because I'm h-human?"

Edward hesitated for a moment before a crooked grin appeared, the humor lost in his eyes, "Among other things."

"Then change me! If this is about my soul-" His hand wrapped around the back of her neck, and before she could say another word, Edward was moving her back until she hit the closest tree with a painful thump. Her heart started beating faster as his cool breath fanned over her face.

"You think I can make love to someone so breakable? Touch you while knowing that I could have so much more?" His hand slowly took hold of the zipper of her jacket, unzipping it before his knuckles brushed against the hem of her shirt, lifting it enough for his fingers to squeeze her waist. Bella shivered, placing her hands over his chest, when a kindling of fear started. His touch wasn't gentle...it was assertive and cold, rough when his hand ran up her bare stomach.

"Edward?"

Something isn't right. Run away.

Bella shut her eyes when his lips pressed against the crook of her neck, his teeth barely nipping her skin that had filled with goosebumps. His voice sounded lost, as if in a trance when he sounded like a whole other man now. "You think I could fuck you without breaking you?" She gasped when his leg forced itself between her legs and pressed against her until her jeans rubbed roughly against the skin of her thighs. His lips crashed against hers in a way that made her cringe away. The taste of metal made her realize she'd cut the inside of her lip.

"Edward, stop it. I'm scared," she panted when his hand squeezed the skin on her waist harder until it hurt. This isn't what she wanted. Maybe she craved to be touched and kissed like any other girl by her boyfriend, but this...she wasn't ready. She can't do this! Not like this- "Stop. I said stop it!" She shoved him away as hard as she could, a tear streaming down her cheek when he finally let go and stepped away.

The look on his face showed no remorse for how he'd just touched her, "Even you agree. You just proved it. Goodbye, Bella."

When he turned and disappeared within the blink of an eye, Bella didn't follow him right away because her legs were shaking so hard she sank to the ground, the bark of the tree trunk she'd been using as support scraped her back. The sobs that escaped her lips were sudden, and once they started, they were uncontrollable, almost as unbearable as the pain in her chest that rolled throughout her whole body. Bella pulled her jacket closed with trembling hands, still cold from the feel of his hands on her bare skin.

He's been using her...

He'd almost used her in the most intimate of ways...and then he tossed her aside as if she were nothing.

Because she is nothing.

Bile rose in her throat when she thought about the Cullens. Edward had said they were all leaving...

All of them?

No, no, no!

Bella barely stood up, and through her blurred vision, she stumbled forward—walking mindlessly into the dark forest with only one thing in her mind. She needed to get to the Cullens, she had to...had to...


A strained sob caught Jasper's attention as the front door slammed shut. Carlisle and Esme frowned when they recognized Edward's agonized voice calling them. Jasper lingered at the top of the stairs, watching his brother sitting on the bench beside the door. Carlisle was beside him, asking him what had happened with concern lacing his voice.

"Did you speak to Bella? Did she understand that none of us are mad at her for what happened?" Esme asked as she placed a comforting hand over Edward's back and helped lead the distraught boy upstairs. Jasper took a step back with an unreadable expression and returned to the living room before any of them could see him. Leaning against the glass wall, Jasper waited along with the rest of his siblings, who all shared concerned looks.

Edward kept his head down and slumped onto the couch. With a shake of his head, he heaved, "I'm sorry..."

"Edward," Carlisle kneeled before his son and urged him to look up. When they caught sight of silver venom filling his eyes with tears he would never be able to cry, Carlisle pushed, "What happened? Did Bella not want to come? Does she feel uncomfortable being with us?"

Jasper stared at the mind reader for a long time with a deep frown, the odd sensations of repent and disgust flooding him over and over again. The words were out before he could stop himself, pushing the words out through gritted teeth, "What did you do?"

Everyone turned to look at Jasper with looks that ranged between concern and confusion, but before anyone could question Jasper, he sent out a wave of sincerity towards Edward. He didn't let up until Edward shot up from his seat and began pacing the room.

"I didn't...it was the only way..."

Dread filled Jasper, and he looked to Alice for an answer, only to find the same look on her face as she shook her head. Carlisle stood up, placing his hands on Edward's shoulders to stop him from pacing. Carlisle questioned worriedly, "What? Edward, what do you mean? What happened?"

The agony in his eyes did little to calm Jasper, and he clenched his jaw, running out of patience to know what Edward had done to the girl. If he had hurt Bella-

"I told Bella we were leaving," Edward shook his head, admitting to his first inconsiderate mistake. Neither Carlisle nor anyone in the family had even discussed the possibility of moving to another home yet. Especially not when Bella had become a part of their family.

"Son, how could-"

"I needed her to understand! That she can't be a part of our world anymore. Not when she could be killed so easily by any one of us," Jasper ignored the pointed look Edward gave him and thought it was ironic his brother was pinning all the blame on him. Edward ran a hand through his hair, "So I tried to break up with her. Make her give up. But she didn't..."

"Of course she didn't, you idiot! Bella's one of us now. How could you expect her to do that?" Emmett questioned, his shock evident on his face alone as he stood up from the couch.

"Emmett, please!" Esme asked of him as she placed a hand over Edward's shoulder, giving him a questioning glance.

Edward shook his head as if the memory of Bella alone was too painful.

A gasp from Alice made her stand up and made everyone look over their shoulders to the pixie who clutched the pillow on her lap until the fabric ripped. Everyone except for Edward seemed to be lost in her reaction, but she soon seethed, "Tell me you didn't do that, Edward! Tell me you didn't do that to her!"

"I thought it would scare her away...make her see that I was truly the monster I always told her I was."

She must have seen a vision because her eyes were still readjusting to the reality of the conversation, but Alice was soon on her feet and moving toward her brother with an unexpected ferocity, "You bastard!" Emmett and Jasper blocked Alice before reaching the man behind them, who made no move to defend himself.

"Alice enough! What is going on?! What happened to Bella, Edward? I won't ask again." Carlisle demanded, now seriously worried for the human girl who'd started meaning something special to him as well.

It took everything in Jasper not to force his gift onto Edward and make him tell the truth he's trying so hard to hold in.

"I forced myself onto her. To make her reject me. I wasn't going to actually do anything, but then her blood smelled so good, it called to me...I lost my senses for a moment. A moment too long-" the sound of a growl erupting from within Jasper hadn't been the most shocking reaction in the room. It had been Rosalie's rage that created chaos in the living room. A heartbroken gasp from Esme made Carlisle wrap his arms around her and hold her close as he stared at Edward as if he were a two-headed monster.

"You did what?" Rosalie snapped, suddenly in his face and grabbing hold of the front of his button-up shirt. No one, not even Emmett, moved to restrain the blonde that seethed.

"How could you do such a thing?" Carlisle questioned, visibly disturbed by the news Edward had just revealed. "Did you hurt her?"

"No!" Edward yelled as he shrugged Rosalie's hands away with a grunt, "At least, I don't think I did. But, as I said, my control slipped." Jasper couldn't hide his disdain when he felt Edward's remorse.

"I could kill you!" Alice growled with disbelief and made to lunge once more, but Carlisle's voice put a stop to the chaos in his home. Emmett appeared to be in shock even as he held Alice back, his burly arms straining against her as he stared at Edward with a betrayed look on his face.

"Enough," Carlisle's once gentle gaze turned to one of anger as he stared at Edward. Jasper could feel the devastation and indignation of the entire situation weighing down on Carlisle now, "I am going to ask you this once, and you better be honest with me, Edward. Where is Bella now?"

"Home and I came straight here. But we should go before she shows up and-"

"No." Carlisle cut him off, ignoring the questioning look Edward was giving him. His tone was cold as he turned away as if about to walk out of the room before turning back around, "you will leave. Go to the Denali's for a time or wherever you want to put your head on straight. Think about what you've just done not only to Isabella but to all of us. I cannot believe you resorted to such a barbaric thing at all, and to do that to Bella-" Carlisle shook his head, "we are staying here to clean up the mess you've made of this entire situation and hope that Bella can somehow move past this."

Jasper clenched his jaw tight, trying not to do as all his siblings wanted and go for Edward, knock sense into him for behaving in such a monstrous way.

Having heard his thoughts, Edward whipped his head to the side and growled, "You must be happy. You get what you want then."

That startled him out of his violent thoughts. Straightening, Jasper deadpanned, "What?"

"You get to keep her, finally. You must be happy now that you know the truth."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jasper growled as Edward crossed the distance between them and stood dangerously close to him now. Carlisle and Emmett were beside both of them in an instant, glances being exchanged between them. The deep frown on Jasper's face should have been enough to tell Edward that he had no idea what he was talking about. So why would he be happy about the mess Edward had made today?

"You really didn't know?' Edward sounded almost sarcastic, but the pain in his eyes remained. The next words he spewed weren't to tell the truth; they were meant to hurt his brother as he sneered, "You didn't know Bella was your mate this whole time?"

Silence fell in the room, and Jasper knew that if he had a living, beating heart, it would be sinking in his chest.

"...What did you just say?" Add when the truth was revealed, to not only him but the whole coven, Jasper ran. Needing to run when the rage, hurt, and conflict became all too much. He needed to get as far away from Edward as possible before he did something he would regret. Before he pummelled him to the ground and ripped him to shreds.

He's wrong.

He had to be wrong. The malice when he spoke those words had to be some twisted game Edward needed to play to cope with his sins. Choosing to torment Jasper for the disaster they'd both caused last night on Bella's birthday.

He's wrong.

The sound of a beating heart made him stop before he could make it to the edge of the cliff, where he could finally be alone. The scent of lavender reached him as the wind blew past him, ruffling his hair. His chest rose and fell rapidly as if he'd been running long enough that he would be exhausted.

Then, before he saw her, it hit him—the sorrow—Bella's sorrow.


Thanks for reading x